Taranaki Regional Council media release
25 September 2008
For immediate release

New Team Tackles Taranaki Transport Topics

A new team has taken shape to plan for Taranaki’s future transport needs.

The Taranaki Regional Council has decided on the composition of a new Regional Transport Committee being set up under legislation that passed through Parliament earlier this year.

The new body replaces the former Regional Land Transport Committee and has new functions and a new membership basis.

As well as members from the region’s four Councils and the New Zealand Transport Agency, the Regional Transport Committee has a member representing cultural interests and one member representing each of the five objectives in the Government’s New Zealand Transport Strategy. The objectives are Safety and Personal Security, Public Health, Economic Development, Access and Mobility and Environmental Sustainability.

The Regional Transport Committee’s members are:

• Roger Maxwell (Chairman) and Brian Jeffares (Deputy Chairman) – Taranaki Regional Council.

• Heather Dodunski – New Plymouth District Council.

• Gordon Lawson – South Taranaki District Council.

• John Edwards – Stratford District Council.

• Rosalie Orr – New Zealand Transport Agency.

• Peter Moeahu – Cultural interests.

• Inspector Frank Grant – Safety and Personal Security.

• Dr Penny Hutchinson – Public Health.

• John Geraghty – Economic Development.

• Karyn Stowers – Access and Mobility.

• Rex Hendry – Environmental Sustainability.

The Committee Chairman, Roger Maxwell, says he looks forward to working with the new team as they take up the challenges brought by the Land Transport Amendment Act passed in July.

“There’s much to do and we need to hit the ground running,” says Mr Maxwell, who also chaired the former Regional Land Transport Committee. “There’s a good range of perspectives around the table and I’m sure we’ll have some interesting and productive discussions.

“We in Taranaki have had a history of good teamwork in this area, which has contributed to the progress that has been made with important projects in recent years. With such a sound foundation and culture, combined with the new team, I expect the Taranaki region to be able to capitalise on the opportunities offered under the new Transport Strategy.”

The new Committee’s duties will include the preparation of a new three-yearly Regional Land Transport Programme, prioritising major capital roading projects for Taranaki.
This programme will feed into a three-yearly National Land Transport Programme, and will also be aligned with the Long Term Council Community Plans of the Taranaki Regional Council and the region’s three District Councils.

The new Committee will also be the forum where any proposal for a regional fuel tax is debated and voted upon.

Only the Committee members representing Councils and the NZ Transport Agency will be able to vote on the Regional Land Transport Programme but other members will have speaking rights.

The Committee’s first meeting is scheduled for 9 October.

ENDS

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